Finchale Priory

Hi Everyone,

We visited Finchale Priory on Sunday and wow what a beautiful place it is. The area is free to visit but there is a very reasonable £3 all day parking charge.

The priory itself is large with lots of ruins to explore, it reminded us alot of Fountains Abbey. The kids loved being able to run around and explore all the different areas. There is also a large grass area surrounding the ruins which is perfect for taking a break and enjoying the views.

The priory is connected to a woodland walk by crossing a bridge over a stunning section of the river wear. The woodland walk is very picturesque taking the path to the right hand side will lead you to lots of different routes to take. In this section there are plenty of tree climbing opportunities and we  found a tree swing which we thoroughly enjoyed. You can even have a splash in the river or just relax on the sandy river banks.

The path to the left of the bridge is a straight narrow walk along the river with some very sweet looking pigs near the end. It is a lovely walk but can be restrictive if people are trying to pass. 

We arrived for opening time and the area was fairly quiet which made it very easy to maintain social distancing but by the afternoon the area really started to get busy. We definitely recommend arriving early or later in the day so you can enjoy the priory and walks. Very importantly the toilets facilities and the cafe kiosk were open.